Learning to Fly
by SarcasmRox
Summary: This is the story of a boy, a girl, and the Cleansweep Eleven that brought them together, even if it was shortlived. HgRw. Minor HBP Spoilers. COMPLETE. Now with Happy Alt. Ending!
1. Chapter 1: Arriving at the Burrow

Disclaimer: I am Jo Rowling. I own all that is Harry Potter – or at least that's what the voices in my head told me.

Summary: This is the story of a boy, a girl, and the Cleansweep Eleven that brought them together, even if it was only for a few hours. HgRw. Minor HBP Spoilers. Beware.

"Learning to Fly" 

By: Cydni Smith

Chapter One: Arriving at the Burrow 

The sun had only risen serenely over the Burrow an hour ago yet Ron Weasley had been pacing his attic bedroom for two. He didn't know why he was so anxious to see Hermione. It had only been a month; hadn't it? It had only been a month since the incident at the Ministry. He sighed and resigned himself to re-re-reading her letter.

_Dear Ron,_

_Thank you for inviting me to stay. I am excited to see you and Harry. I will arrive by car sometime before noon on Wednesday. I can't wait to see you all._

_With Love,_

Hermione 

She had signed it with love. Maybe that was why the muscles in Ron's stomach twitched when he thought about her coming to stay. The sensation had, on more than one occasion, caused him to drop whatever he was holding at the time or to trip when there was nothing for him to trip over

He had been blaming the fluttering on a combination of the trauma sustained during the Ministry incident and another growth spurt. He was now hovering just over the two-meter mark.

Ron soon found that there we only so many things one can think about while thinking about one person and, in a desperate attempt to do anything, pulled a tattered, well read copy of Quidditch Through the AgesHe skipped to _Chapter Seven: Quidditch Teams of Britain and Ireland. _He began to read:

"_The Chudley Cannons' glory days may be considered by many to be over…" _Ron hadn't finished the sentence before his lack of sleep during the prior night caught up with him and he was lulled into a very peaceful sleep.

An older blue BMW rolled its way along a dirt road. The driver was lost in conversation with his daughter when the suddenly felt as if he had forgotten an important appointment and that it was of utmost importance that they return to London.

"Dad, no. It is just one of the protections on the way to the Burrow. Keep going. It's okay the feeling should pass when we get there and we are getting close," Hermione Granger said her voice stern, but loving as she pressed her nose to the side window and looked out at scenery that was becoming more familiar by the moment.

"Are you sure we didn't forget a dentist appointment or something?" her father asked seriously, his glasses slipping farther down the crook of his nose and his hands becoming more sweaty and rather pale. The hands cut a striking resemblance to the off-white polo he was wearing.

"Dad, you are the dentist." Hermione tried desperately, but to no avail, to hold in the giggles that were threatening to escape her throat.

"Oh, right." His cheeks flushed at her laughter.

"Here we are." And here they were. The odd beauty of the Burrow was slowly revealing itself as the car rounded the final bend and pulled into the dusty front yard.

"Oh, Hermione!" Mrs. Weasley yelled lovingly as she ran toward the car, her hands firmly grasping the pockets of her apron. Hermione noticed that, though it was the middle of summer, Mrs. Weasley seemed paler and more tired than Hermione had seen her since Mr. Weasley had been in St. Mungo's.

"It's so good to see you, dear. Arthur is just around back. I'm sure he'll want to welcome you properly. It's nice to see you, too, Bob. How is the tooth business?" Mrs. Weasley said warmly as she embraced Hermione in a big bear hug.

"It's going well.

"Hello Bob. Hello Hermione!" Mr. Weasley said jovially as he walked toward them in his loopy gangly gate. His smile showed that he had been awaiting his Muggle friend's arrival for quite some time.

"Hermione, dear, you'll be staying with Ginny in her room and Ron is up in his if you want to say 'Hello'. Ginny should be back shortly before dinner," Mrs. Weasley said warmly.

"Oh, okay. Well I'll just go in. If that's alright?"

"Of course it's alright, dear. You are practically one of the family." Upon noticing Hermione lift her bags she added, "No need to get your bags. We'll just magic them up there for you."

"Thank you," Hermione beamed. She turned and headed for the house. As she walked away, she distinctly heard Mr. Weasley ask her father about how airplanes stay up.

She opened the main door into the kitchen and breathed in the smell of cookies, sawdust, and magic. It was her favorite smell in the world. She turned in the living room and headed up the stairs, which looked as if magic were the only thing holding them up and even that wasn't working so well.

She turned up another flight and spotted Ron's door, slightly ajar, at the end of the landing. It was unmistakably his because a Cannons poster had been hung on it. She pushed it the rest of the way open to find him spread eagle on his bed, a book by his head, and a small puddle of drool by his mouth. She couldn't help standing there and watching him sleep. The thought repeatedly crossed her mind that there was something endearing about the way his legs and arms hung off the bed and the manner in which his chest rose and fell rhythmically. She turned to leave, but heard him say her name.

"Hermione, no… Krum's a … I love…" he mumbled. She never found out what Viktor was or who he loved, because Crookshanks came running in a leaped up onto Ron's back. "Ahhhh… Bloody Hell! What was that?"

"Oh Ron. Don't be so dramatic. It was just Crookshanks," Hermione said giggling as she entered the room and sat on Ron's bed. The cat feeling the tension poised his tail in the air and trotted haughtily out of the room, his mission complete.

"Bloody cat," Ron murmured as he wiped the drool from the edges of his mouth.

"Oh, you're gonna get it!" Ron didn't have time to dodge as Hermione swung the pillow at his head.

Ron grabbed the pillow from her and flung it across the room. He then proceeded to tickle her sides. Hermione squealed and thrashed to get away from him. They laughed together until Hermione flipped him off the bed and they both crashed onto the floor, still entwined. They laid on the floor for some time regaining their breath, their eyes locked.

"Hermione, I'm leaving! Come down and say good bye to your old man." The teens could not pull themselves apart more quickly.

"Coming, Dad!" Hermione bounded out of the room and down the stairs to see her father off.

Ron could not help feeling put out that she had left him. He almost felt cold now that he couldn't feel her.

-- - --

That was chapter One. I have it planned out to be about 5 or 6 chapters in total. I hope you liked it. If you did. Please Review. It's the one thing that keeps me going. I know that I have never finished a story, so keep me motivated. It will get funnier and sweeter as it goes on and I almost promise that it will be perfect cannon!

Love you all,

Cydni


	2. Chapter 2: Corned Beef

Author's Note:

Thank you to everyone that reviewed! It really means a lot to me! Yay! 10 Reviews!

Special Thanks to:

Shinegami's Little Sis – It was very important to me that this felt real and the airplane tied it in.

Peace7 – I hoped it would be "good"

AnimeAlexis- Thanks for the motivation 

LivvyWriter- I wanted to work in a dentist joke, too, but I couldn't think of a "good" one

SummerxKiss2- I'm updating!

Ginny PoshSpice – I'm working on it! Lol.

Iluvbeingme23 – I'll tell whoever I want whatever I want. Lol. Don't worry. I'll finish this one. I think I can, I think I can…

Lil'bookwormGirl – I'm glad that you love it! Is this fast enough?

Surfgirl15 – I AM UPDATING VERY SOON (ish)!

Emma-Lynn – This is set at the very beginning of HBP. It will get much sweeter.

On with the Story:

Learning to Fly 

By: Cydni Smith

Chapter Two:

"Corned Beef"

"Ron! Time for lunch," Mrs. Weasley called from the kitchen.

At the idea of food, Ron almost felt compelled to do a back flip. He bolted happily down the stairs, through the living room, and past the clock. He slowed a second to take another look at it. All nine hands were still pointed to 'mortal peril' and Ron couldn't help but feel as if they would not point 'home' anytime soon. He stood facing it for another second before remembering that there was food to be eaten and rushed off.

Once he entered the kitchen, the smell of corned beef filled his nostrils. He gagged a little and looked to his mother for an explanation.

"Look, Ronikins. I made your favorite, corned beef," Mrs. Weasley said, oblivious to her son's look of disgust.

"Thanks, Mum," Ron said, choking back his gag reflex. He looked at the food as if it were a pile of baby acromantulas, except with more disgust than fear.

"You lot tuck in. I'll be out in the garden. Those gnomes are getting out of control again. Fred and George will be coming down some time this week to help me, but I don't want them to over-take the garden before then…" she rambled on a bit more about the garden and gnomes as she made her way outside.

"Since when do you like corned beef? As long as I have known you it has been the only edible thing that you don't eat," Hermione joked. Ron couldn't help, but notice how pleasant her smile was. He didn't know why, but he would have eaten the beef to see her smile like that again.

"I don't like it. I just don't have the heart to tell her that I hate it."

"You should tell her. She wouldn't want to spend her time making something that you really don't like. Here. I'll magic you up something to eat." With that she waved her wand, muttered an incantation, and Ron's sandwich was transfigured into Yorkshire pudding.

"Yeah. I guess you're right, as usual. Thanks." His eyes widened at the sight of his real favorite food. He wondered how she knew.

They sat at the table in silence for a while, just eating and enjoying the company. They played a little staring game. It wasn't how it usually was, staring; it was looking into the other. Ron looked away first, his ears reddening. They both felt for a second as though they had lost something.

"So, err, what do you want to do?" Ron asked, his eyes not quite meeting Hermione.

"I don't know. What do you want to do?"

"Want to play Quidditch?"

"I don't know how to fly," Hermione admitted sheepishly.

"I could teach you," Ron blurted, "That is, if you wanted to?" He looked at her hopefully, his head angled down, his blue eyes looking at her, and his lower lip jutted slightly forward.

Hermione could not resist the puppy-dog eyes. "I would like that very much. Thank you." She smiled again. Ron could not have been more elated.

From the other side of the wall a gong sounded and the clicking of clockwork distracted half of the duo. "What was that?" Hermione asked nervously.

"It was just the clock. I bet Ginny will be home soon," he said calmly, managing not to spray his friend with food. Sure enough, the hand on the clock with Ginny's picture was facing _Traveling_. The gong sounded again, the hand moved back to _Mortal Peril_ and a rather rumpled Genevera Weasley tumbled out of the fireplace.

Ginny walked into the kitchen and sat at the end of the table. She let out a deep sigh and put her head flat to the wood.

"Hi, Ginny," Hermione said happily.

"What?" Ginny hollered in surprise, quickly bringing her head up and looking from her brother to Hermione. She collected herself. "Oh, Hermione. I didn't know you were coming. I'm sorry. I didn't see either of you. Wow. Today has just not been a good day. No offense or anything. It's not that I'm upset that you are here or anything, but-," She said quickly, though sounding thoroughly exhausted.

"- None taken."

"Are you staying with me?" Ginny asked bluntly.

"Yes, that's what your mother told me. I haven't unpacked, though, if you want me to stay somewhere else," Hermione answered, slightly flustered.

"No. No. It's fine if you stay with me. I just wanted to know. Since you haven't unpacked, we could go do that now. If you want to."

"Yeah. Okay. I'm done eating anyways," she said, dabbing the corners of her mouth with the napkin and then standing up. "Ron, how about after dinner?"

"Yeah. That would be fine."

The girls headed giggling out of the kitchen, up one flight of stairs, and down to the end of the hallway. Ron was left alone to eat the remainder of his Yorkshire pudding.

-- - --

"What are you doing with my brother after dinner?" Ginny asked coyly pushing her door open to reveal a very neat room. A cot had been set up next to the bed and Hermione's trunk was situated in the middle of it.

"He's teaching me to fly. So where were you today?" Hermione asked as she pulled some of her clothes out of her big yellow trunk, which was now resting on Ginny's bed, and hanging them in her closet. She was a little pink and wanted the conversation to change course before it deepened to red.

Ginny noticed the diversion, but needed to talk about her day too much to push it. "I was with Dean. I like him a lot, but sometimes he can be so- just so pig headed. Like today, he wanted to snog and I wanted to talk a little and then snog. He just wouldn't listen to me. He didn't push it, but got sulky. It was just so juvenile. I wish he was more like –"

"- Harry?"

"That wasn't what I was going to say, but yeah. I do. I keep trying to talk to him or just be around him, but I can't. I just get so flustered trying to impress him that I can't do anything, but the stupid things," Ginny said starting almost dejectedly and working her way into a frustrated anger.

"He doesn't need to be impressed. He's impressive enough by himself. Just calm down and be yourself around him. He'll come around. I know he will. Besides, until then you have Dean and he is a great guy," Hermione said happily.

"You are absolutely right."

"You are welcome."

The girls sat around gossiping about all of their friends and telling stories until –

"- Girls. Dinner!"

End Chapter Two.

---- Please review! It is the only thing that keeps me going! Well besides caffeine.

Let me know what you think. Flame me even. I don't know how you could. I stayed in character. I think. If you have any ideas let me know and I'll think about putting them in.

--- Cydni


	3. Chapter 3: Come Fly with Me

A/N: I'm sorry that it has taken so long… I was gone for a little over a week and then my drive was gone… sorry. I've had this half written for ages and was just never in the mood to finish it. I am so sorry. I hope you enjoy it!

Before I thank you all, I would like to ask if any of you would like to beta or would like me to beta for you. I would love to do it and I am feeling that these need it. lol. If you want to do a re-write I would post your version of the chapter, just leave it in a comment.

Cabbage Rose- I needed for there to be a conflict with Dean, so that was the obvious choice without needing too much back story. :)

Gylfie- Fast? Really? I'll work on that. I think you'll be pleased with this build,

Tria (October Tuscany)- Yeah. It's interesting. :)

Tanya- Thanks a ton!

Hannah (Baseball Fanatic) – Thanks a bushel and a peck!

SleepyHead22- You know what goes best with caffeine? Mocha! I'll start other stories after this, but due to my canon obsession, it can't possibly exceed 5 chappies. kisses to you too!

Lissie – Yeah. I felt it showed Ron as sensitive. lol. I'll try to keep it up!

Emma-Lynn – w00t 2u2!

Surfgirl15- I can't wait to write more!

Charmingly-Holly - you are one of my favorite fanficers! I really wanted it to be totally believable. Even the Yorkshire pudding. (Ron was talking and spit some on her):)! I think you are going to especially love a little detail in this chappie :)

Phoenixwings13- It is the summer after 5 and before 6 though it is in HBP!

Snicket- Thanks:P

Immi(QueenLover)- You rock so freakin' much!

"Learning to Fly"

By: Cydni Smith

Chapter 3:

"Come Fly with Me"

The girls ran down the stairs and entered the kitchen. The table was immaculate. Every food you could have at a Hogwarts' dinner was crowded on the table and with the sun set approaching the light playing on the room caused an almost ethereal glow. Hermione almost gasped as her eyes fell upon Ron. She couldn't avert her eyes as she moved towards the chair opposite him.

He was faced away from her and looking out the window, pensively. His angelically illuminated ginger hair fell untidily and utterly-perfectly around his freckled face. His head, cocked slightly to the side, rested on his large fist in a manner that gave a strong, though thoroughly Ron resemblance to the Thinker. She imagined what it would feel like to touch his hands, his hair, his face- his lips.

"Hermione," Ron said gently. _Yes, Ron. Wait, how are you kissing me and talking at the same time?_ "Hermione." He leaned over the table's excessive spread to pass his hand in front of her face and when she didn't respond Ginny kicked her shin from her vantage point, the seat to her right.

"Owwww. Ginny! What was that for," Hermione asked, snapping back into reality. She sent a not all too happy glare at her assaulter while rubbing her battered leg.

"You were ogling my brother –_again_," she replied giggly through gritted teeth so that no one, but Hermione, could hear. Hermione's face flushed a scarlet that could have rivaled that of any Weasley. She turned her eyes down to her plate and began to swirl her string beans.

"Hermione, what were you thinking about that would send you into a trance like that? Spew," Ron asked jovially as he piled hearty helping of everything onto his plate.

_I was thinking about you, you insolent little – "_Nothing in particular. And, Ronald, S.P.E.W. is not a joke."

"I never said that _spew _was a joke," Ron smiled between bites of potatoes.

"Dear, can you please pass the gravy?"

"Sure, Mum."

"Sure, Mrs. Weasley."

Their hands crossed on the boat and time seemed to freeze. Hermione felt that time felt remarkably warm and fuzzy for being frozen. They both swallowed (Ron's Adam's apple bobbing adorably) and Hermione smiled weakly, "No problem." They both recoiled slowly. Ginny, seeing that her mother would never get to eat if these two were left in charge, passed the gravy boat to her mother.

"Are we still on for the flying lessons," he asked bashfully, the tips of his ears flushed, even more brightly.

"Yeah. Definitely," she replied in a dreamy voice that was oddly reminiscent to Luna's. She caught herself staring again and corrected it.

Dinner passed uneventfully, the pair sneaking glances as they ate, small smiles playing on their lips.

---- Quidditch Pitchy Field Area---

The pair stood on the field watching as the sun began it's descent in the West. Ron held two brooms: one for him and one for Hermione. Hermione held her breath.

"Since you never really got past class in first year, I thought that we should start with one broom and go over the basics," He leaned the older broom against the peeling shed and set his clearly manicured Cleansweep Eleven on the ground. He put his hands on her shoulders and guided her to the left side of the broom. He stood on the right. "Up," he commanded to the broom that had begun to rise before he had opened his mouth. He set the broom back down. "Now it's your turn."

Hermione grimaced. She extended her hand, looked down at the broom, and in a voice riddled with self-doubt commanded or, rather, asked, "up?" The broom seemed to rock a bit in indecision before it decided that staying on the nice, soft grass was easier than flying.

"I've never heard anything more pathetic in my life, except maybe Malfoy as a ferret." He had a little chuckle before continuing," Be forceful. Merlin knows you can be."

Hermione was torn between proving that she could control the broom and smacking Ron. She decided on the former. _Please let this work_. "Up," she said clearly and confidently. The broom listened. Slender fingers ending in short, pink nails gripped deep mahogany. Ron smiled proudly and Hermione beamed triumphantly back. "Second time's the charm I guess," she quipped.

"Well I think we can move on. Just swing your leg over."

She complied. As Ron mounted behind her and put his hands on her elbows, a little shiver crawled down her spine. After she recovered, she asked in a quaking voice, "Promise we won't go too high?"

"Yes. I promise." As they kicked up into the air he added in an undertone," though you can never go too high."

The pair wobbled unsteadily about six feet in the air. Hermione had closed her eyes tightly and gripped the broom for dear life. Ron smiled.

He leaned in closer and spoke softly into her ear, "Just think where you want it to go. Forward, backward, wherever and then lean that way."

Her spine shivered a little and she leaned back into him. Way back. Too far back. The broom took off upwards with a start.

Hermione held on for dear life screamed, "I don't like flying!"

Ron countered, "Just lean forward. Calm down and lean forward. NOT THAT FORWARD." The pair hurdled towards the ground, Hermione's shrieks intensifying.

His hands took action, snaked around her middle, and grabbed the smooth oak handle. They pulled it up, just less than horizontal. He circled slowly and gradually to land; Hermione's shallow breaths became regular.

The touched down and Hermione's knees gave. She wobbled a little before the dusk changed to night in front of her eyes. When she collapsed, Ron caught her.

He sank to the ground, her head in his lap. He brushed a lock of hair off her cheek with his thumb. She looked so weak, so helpless. He couldn't help feeling that it was somehow wrong. Hermione who had faced everything he had (with the notable exceptions in second year. The spiders!) and was so full of life was lying here more frail than when she had been petrified. He would have pondered her weakness longer, but her eyes fluttered open.

She looked around for a moment before what had happened dawned on her. She looked up at Ron and smiled faintly. "My hero." Her hand reached up and stroked his cheek.

"So, honestly, how bad was I," She asked still looking up at him. He bent his head down and she met him. Their lips brushed sweetly and then connected, moving in sync. They broke apart. They stared in each other's eyes; Hermione innocently and Ron with a mischievous grin.

"So, honestly, how was I," Hermione asked. Ron blushed awkwardly. "Oh, about the flying I mean."

He leaned down and pecked her lovingly on the cheek, and then said, "Bloody terrible." He laughed.

Hermione laughed a little and playfully punched him, " Well, Ronald, you're no Krum yourself."

"What's that supposed to mean." The hurt showed on his face.

"Nothing. I didn't-"

"I'll never be better than him. Why do you always have to FLAUNT HIM? WHY?"

Ron stood up; Hermione fell from his lap, and he walked away.

When he yelled, that was bad, but when he got quite it was hell. Hermione watched him, several tears flowing down her cheek, but did not follow.

THE END

A/N: Grr... to Jo for making me have to end it like that. Not really. Without her there wouldn't be a this. That's it. The last chapter. I know that I said five, but I felt that it would be too much to split this. In a week or so I'm going to release this as a one-shot and another one which is currently half-written and will be a great one-shot. Expect that in two weeks. I hope liked this and my other stories. If you have anything that you thing should be changed, let me know and it'll (possibly be that way) on the "final." Also check out my profile and if you need story ideas. I'd love some one to use them (I just don't feel that I have the time to do those)


	4. Alternate Ending aka the Snogging Scene

Just when you all thought it was over… It was. This is just a chapter where, to make you feel better, I am giving an alternate ending. This ending is not canon and so I am not making it an official part of the story. (Yell at Jo, not me!)  
By the way this chappie gets a little hott and will definitely require a rating change! ;)

--------

They touched down and Hermione's knees gave. She wobbled a little before the dusk changed to night in front of her eyes. When she collapsed, Ron caught her.

He sank to the ground, her head in his lap. He brushed a lock of hair off her cheek with his thumb. She looked so weak, so helpless. He couldn't help feeling that it was somehow wrong. Hermione who had faced everything he had (with the notable exceptions in second year. The spiders!) and was so full of life was lying here more frail than when she had been petrified. He would have pondered her weakness longer, but her eyes fluttered open.

She looked around for a moment before what had happened dawned on her. She stared into his big blue eyes smiling faintly. "My hero." Her hand reached up and stroked his cheek. He bent his head down and she met him. Their lips brushed sweetly and then connected, moving in sync. Ron took her hand from his hair and traced circles on her thumb with his. Their mouths separated. They gazed into each other's eyes; Hermione innocently and Ron with a mischievous grin.

" I love you, Hermione, for so long. I've liked you since the first time I saw you on the train. I've adored you since you said, 'wingardium leviosa'. I have fancied you since we saw the shrieking shack. And I've loved you since- since I thought I'd lost you fourth year."

Hermione leaned up, planted a tender kiss on his blushing cheek, and whispered, "I love you, too," before she kissed his lips again.

Her free arm looped over his shoulder and pulled him towards her. Ron shifted her legs and turned himself over her. They laid together in the cool grass. Ron snaked sweet kisses down her neck and over the collarbone exposed by her tank top. Her fingers roamed his back shortly before coming around and feeling his defined Quidditch-toned abs. Ron's kisses localized and he began to suck passionately on the crease where Hermione's neck and shoulder met. Hermione moaned softly.

As he continued, she took his hand and placed it on her breast. He was slightly surprised and looked up to her face. She nodded and he kissed her hard on the mouth as his hand worked her chest lovingly.

A twig snapped and the pair looked over Ron's shoulder. Standing there was Ginny. She smiled and they stood up quickly, blushing and wiping themselves off as if "nothing had happened".

(They Lived Happily Ever After)

---- The end ----

I almost wanted to go farther, but I felt that would be too untrue to the characters and a little creepy. I'm sorry it's short, but it wasn't supposed to exist at all so be happy! lol. Please Review! It makes me happy and I want to know if you liked it and if this is the "type" of fic I should or shouldn't be writing. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated!


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